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iwiiqamiw I,. - i . f B E Y O N D lPr V H E WEB E R THE Volume 3 Issue 31 SIGNPOST STATE UNIVERSITY I " .,i.. v .. ..". - ,. f f " -- r . , - t . , i ' , " ' . ' -T . r - ! , ,. ' ' ' - "' ' I -N. ' , ... i " . . ', N . . jx- I - .V - . . - i"ma x "1&$fc - .- ' i - .-f - j 'W .." - - y , - 5 t . :. " . ' " f. VW" " 'WM:Jllirt.Wii.V.IIlilil'f'W'wlllilWWMlJMWIlWW'111 nf j Above: Larry Doman, foreign language professor, holds a butterfly in Spyrogira, a butterfly reserve in San Jose, Costa Rica. Right: WSU students get ready to ascend to the next canopy by being pulled up by a zip line. 1 -"-4 : .sit. - i , " ill h ".If 15 - - 1 1 r i li Hi' Mil mi m I rr':- rn m ."tttt-i-hthhi i i m miimh in rTTrniri iiiJliMiii 1 1 ' '":j,"i!-'-j . 1 A i -wii By Jacqueline Eldredge staff writer-The Signpost In the world of advancing technology , students are often given the chance to experience the world through television and the Internet. At Weber State University, students are taking a different route. They're choosing to see the world live and in person. For nearly 25 years the magic of the Study Abroad program has given students a different look at the world. It has offered hands-on experience. Despite the image that study abroad programs are just an excuse to get out of class, students attend daily classes in the foreign country for the majority of the trip. The excursions are in addition to the classes. "It's very academically oriented," said Tony Spanos, Foreign Language Department chairman. "We try to make sure, they get the academics and the culture and all types of experiences while they're there. I think we've put together a pretty great program." Imagine touring the Louvre, hiking the ancient ruins of Mexico or exploring the rain forests of Costa Rica, all for the price of tuition plus an extra $1,000 to $1,500. Oh, and count out the $200 to $300 for textbooks. In the world of travel studies, students don't need textbooks. They just need a sturdy pair of walking shoes, a notebook, a camera and a sense of adventure. Students may worry about the language, but those who have taken the plunge say, "Have no fear." WSU senior Erik Glanville went to France three years ago and didn't speak any French. He said he learned a little along the way, and the benefits of seeing the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa and Notre Dame far outweighed the fear of not knowing the language. "I think that a study abroad program strengthens any college student's education because it opens your mind and lets you experience new cultures," Glanville said. "It makes college better and it's something you can look back on." Germany is the only program that re- quires students to be at a novice high level of German proficiency. That means they must know general phrases and be able to communicate enough to get around. Spanos explained that students going to Germany must know a little of the language because of the German universities' higher level of expectation. The other programs do not require any level of proficiency. "We not only go over there for the language, but for the culture," he said, "and a student that doesn't know anything can pick up a lot of language." The lengths of each program differ. Trips to Mexico and Costa Rica have typically lasted a month. France and Germany trips usually last two weeks; however, next year's Germany expedition will last roughly one month with a price tag of about $2, 100. Students going to Costa Rica. Mexico and France will leave in May. The cost is about $2,500. Students also need to bring $300 to $1,000 in spending money. Professors may be able to negotiate prices while in the country. They can then return that extra money to the students. "Our program is really economical. If people really work and save money, they can do it very easily," Spanos said. Spanos credits much of the success and quality of the current programs to professor John Kartchner, who retired last year. 'That was his passion, really," Spanos said. "He really enjoyed putting the trips together and he had a good vision of combining the social and scholastic and cultural. He wanted to make sure the students had a well-rounded experience." Because of the work put into the program by Kartchner and other professors. WSU's program has continued to thrive. "In all the years thai we've been going down I don't think we've ever had ever a person say, That wasn't worth it,'" Spanos said. "It's always been a highlight of their educational career." Students who are interested in any of the study abroad programs may contact the Foreign Language Department at 626-6 1 83. r 1 i ' 'J Melisse w ... ' Berrett J i if and Melanie Wood climb up a hollow tree to begin their canopy tour through the tops of the trees. V v ' 4 PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACQUELINE ELDREDGE

Public Domain. Courtesy of University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.

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iwiiqamiw I,. - i . f B E Y O N D lPr V H E WEB E R THE Volume 3 Issue 31 SIGNPOST STATE UNIVERSITY I " .,i.. v .. ..". - ,. f f " -- r . , - t . , i ' , " ' . ' -T . r - ! , ,. ' ' ' - "' ' I -N. ' , ... i " . . ', N . . jx- I - .V - . . - i"ma x "1&$fc - .- ' i - .-f - j 'W .." - - y , - 5 t . :. " . ' " f. VW" " 'WM:Jllirt.Wii.V.IIlilil'f'W'wlllilWWMlJMWIlWW'111 nf j Above: Larry Doman, foreign language professor, holds a butterfly in Spyrogira, a butterfly reserve in San Jose, Costa Rica. Right: WSU students get ready to ascend to the next canopy by being pulled up by a zip line. 1 -"-4 : .sit. - i , " ill h ".If 15 - - 1 1 r i li Hi' Mil mi m I rr':- rn m ."tttt-i-hthhi i i m miimh in rTTrniri iiiJliMiii 1 1 ' '":j,"i!-'-j . 1 A i -wii By Jacqueline Eldredge staff writer-The Signpost In the world of advancing technology , students are often given the chance to experience the world through television and the Internet. At Weber State University, students are taking a different route. They're choosing to see the world live and in person. For nearly 25 years the magic of the Study Abroad program has given students a different look at the world. It has offered hands-on experience. Despite the image that study abroad programs are just an excuse to get out of class, students attend daily classes in the foreign country for the majority of the trip. The excursions are in addition to the classes. "It's very academically oriented," said Tony Spanos, Foreign Language Department chairman. "We try to make sure, they get the academics and the culture and all types of experiences while they're there. I think we've put together a pretty great program." Imagine touring the Louvre, hiking the ancient ruins of Mexico or exploring the rain forests of Costa Rica, all for the price of tuition plus an extra $1,000 to $1,500. Oh, and count out the $200 to $300 for textbooks. In the world of travel studies, students don't need textbooks. They just need a sturdy pair of walking shoes, a notebook, a camera and a sense of adventure. Students may worry about the language, but those who have taken the plunge say, "Have no fear." WSU senior Erik Glanville went to France three years ago and didn't speak any French. He said he learned a little along the way, and the benefits of seeing the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa and Notre Dame far outweighed the fear of not knowing the language. "I think that a study abroad program strengthens any college student's education because it opens your mind and lets you experience new cultures," Glanville said. "It makes college better and it's something you can look back on." Germany is the only program that re- quires students to be at a novice high level of German proficiency. That means they must know general phrases and be able to communicate enough to get around. Spanos explained that students going to Germany must know a little of the language because of the German universities' higher level of expectation. The other programs do not require any level of proficiency. "We not only go over there for the language, but for the culture," he said, "and a student that doesn't know anything can pick up a lot of language." The lengths of each program differ. Trips to Mexico and Costa Rica have typically lasted a month. France and Germany trips usually last two weeks; however, next year's Germany expedition will last roughly one month with a price tag of about $2, 100. Students going to Costa Rica. Mexico and France will leave in May. The cost is about $2,500. Students also need to bring $300 to $1,000 in spending money. Professors may be able to negotiate prices while in the country. They can then return that extra money to the students. "Our program is really economical. If people really work and save money, they can do it very easily," Spanos said. Spanos credits much of the success and quality of the current programs to professor John Kartchner, who retired last year. 'That was his passion, really," Spanos said. "He really enjoyed putting the trips together and he had a good vision of combining the social and scholastic and cultural. He wanted to make sure the students had a well-rounded experience." Because of the work put into the program by Kartchner and other professors. WSU's program has continued to thrive. "In all the years thai we've been going down I don't think we've ever had ever a person say, That wasn't worth it,'" Spanos said. "It's always been a highlight of their educational career." Students who are interested in any of the study abroad programs may contact the Foreign Language Department at 626-6 1 83. r 1 i ' 'J Melisse w ... ' Berrett J i if and Melanie Wood climb up a hollow tree to begin their canopy tour through the tops of the trees. V v ' 4 PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACQUELINE ELDREDGE